A long-vanished relic of classic San Francisco dining is set to return to its original downtown address.
Jack’s Restaurant, which opened in 1863 and shuttered in 2000 (opens in new tab), will rise from the ashes and reopen at 615 Sacramento St. in the Financial District, according to a sign posted in the window related to an application for a liquor license at the address. The public notice was posted in March, and the Planning Department recommended approval in May.
The identity of the new owner has not been publicly announced, however Skylight, the “placemaking and venue development” firm behind New York’s Penn Station revamp and L.A.’s Skylight ROW DTLA, has listed Jack’s as a venue under operation on its website.
At the time of its closure, Jack’s was the third-oldest restaurant in the city, a smoky, boozy place where mixed social classes came to see and be seen while tucking into Continental cuisine like double-cut pork chops, escargots, and creamed spinach. It had a Barbary Coast-era association — the private dining rooms on the upper floors were allegedly used as a bordello.
When Jack’s ended its 137-year run, the owner at the time, John Konstin, offered employees jobs at his other restaurant, John’s Grill, a Union Square hangout for local politicos.
“I’ve been saying that someone needs to revitalize that restaurant for decades, so I’m glad it’s happening,” Konstin said. The four-story building — with plentiful staircases — is a challenging space for a restaurateur to tackle but is “probably the most beautiful restaurant in San Francisco,” he added.
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This won’t be the first time someone has attempted a revival. In 2002, a chef named Philippe Jeanty reopened the restaurant as a brasserie called Jeanty at Jack’s (opens in new tab). It closed within a few years, and the site was later home to a coworking space that has since closed.
Birmingham Development LLC, which purchased the building in 2018, did not respond in time for publication.
In terms of longevity, two San Francisco restaurants have a leg up on Jack’s. The Old Clam House, on Bayshore Boulevard, was founded in 1861 and reopened in 2024 after a Covid-era closure. Tadich Grill (opens in new tab), which has changed locations several times, opened in 1849.
Additional reporting by Lauren Saria.